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No. 564,555. Patented July 21, 1896.

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No. 564,555'. Patented July 2l, 1896.

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No. 564,555. Patented July 21, 1896.

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No. 554,555. 1 Patented Julyzl, 1896.

ffy/z wlTNEssEs: l l INVENTOR l BY n A ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICEo TALBOT O. DEXTER, OF PEARL RIVER, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THEDEXTER FOLDER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PAPER-FOLDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,555, dated July 21,1896. Application filed August 172, 1895. Serial N0. 559,104. (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ whom, t 71u07/ concer/t:

Bc it known that I, TALBOT O.VDEX.TER,

citizen of the United States, residing at Pearl River, in the county ofRockland and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Folding-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My improved quadruple sixteenpage foldi the paper passes from thesecond-folding rollers it is severed into four folded stripsand conveyedinto position above four pairs of third-folding rollers, which impartthe final folding at right angles to the iirst and second folds anddeliver the four folded signatures of sixteen pages each to four pairsof calendering-rollers,from which the signatures drop into the packingdevices. If it is desired to produce two signatures of thirty-two pages4instead of four of sixteen pages, the signatures from two pairs of thethird-fold rollers are conveyed to the calendering-rollers below theother two pairs of third-fold rollers and follow and drop into thepreceding signatures folded by said latter pairs of thirdfold rollersand form signatures of thirty-two pages.

It is a conceded fact that it is quite impracticable to make four foldsin a single sheet of paper to get thirty-two-page signatures, owing tothe thickness of the sheet and the tendency of the pages to be drawn outof shape by the very great strain they are subjected to in making thelast fold. The common method of inserting by passing two partly-foldedsheets, one over the other, into position above the last-fold rollersand folding both sheets at the same time, one into the other, is alsovery objectionable on account of the trouble in gaging the two sheetsand because it is more difficult to fold them both at the same time. Itwill therefore be obvious that by my improved method of separatelyfolding the two parts and afterward inserting one within the other Iobviate the difficulties enumerated and produce a thirtytwo-pagesignature in a much simpler way.

To render the lateral adjustment of the sheet more accurate, I arrangemy adjustable electrical registering device between the iirst and secondfolds at such a point that it will register the sheet at or very closeto the extreme corner of the fold of the once-folded sheet, as thevariation, if any, in the overlapping edges will scarcely be perceptibleat the point of iirst fold. The construcaion and operation of thisadjustable electrically-controlled register is quite important.

Another important feature of my invention is the location a-nd.construction of the splitting devices for severing the twice-foldedsheet into four parts. I provide three cutting-disks which operate inconjunction with grooved sleeves mounted upon one of the second-foldrollers, the cutters and sleeves being adjustable to regulate the pointof severance. I provide an essentially novel arrangement for operatingthe reciprocating .folding- 4knives which operate in conjunction withthe pairs of third-fold rollers in order that they can be adjusted tothe proper pointsY with relation to the cutters, the third-fold rollersand their knives being mounted upon adjustable carriages sliding uponthe main frame. I provide an upper and lower packing-box, into which thefolded signatures are delivered, the signatures for the lowerpacking-box being received first into a pivoted hopper, which isprovided with a novel ejecting device and is adapted to throw the foldedsignatures into position in the lower packingbox. I also providesuitable means for simultaneously. and relatively adjusting the twopacking-boxes, the pivoted hoppers, and their operating mechanisms, inorder that they will properly cooperate with the devices for impartingthe third folds to the signatures in any adjusted position.

My invention consists, further, of novel features of construction, andin order that IOO . enlarged detail plan view of the same.

my improvements will be iully understood I will first describe the samewith reference to the accompanying drawings and afterward point out withmore particularity the novelty in the annexed claims.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a general plan view of my ilnprovedfolding-machine. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same, looking at thepacking-boxes and mechanism for imparting the third fold to thesignatures. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine, looking at theright-hand side of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a side elevation oi the machine,looking at the left-hand side of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a longitudinalsectional elevation taken on the line 5 5 of Figs. 1 and 2 and lookingtoward the right of the machine. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of thepacking-boxes and pivoted hoppers with their operating mechanism,looking toward the rear of the machine. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailsectional elevation taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6 and looking towardthe left-hand end of the machine. Fig. S is an enlarged detail plan, andFig. 9 is an enlarged detail sectional elevation, of part of a machine,showing one of the severing devices and the electrically-operatedlateral adjustment. Figs. 10 and 11 are, respectively, arear elevationand sectional side elevation of part of the mechanism, showing' thedevice for operating the third-fold knives. Fig. l2 is an enlargeddetail longitudinal view taken through the thircLfold rollers andcalendering-rollers, showing the mann er of inserting one sixteenpagesignature into another for forming the signature of thirty-two pages.Fig. 13 is an Fig. 14: is a sectional representation oi the manner ofinserting one signature into another for forming a signature ofthirty-two pages. Fig. 15 is an enlarged detail view of part of thelateral registering device. Fig. 16 is a detail view showing means forelevati ng small wooden rollers out of operative position. Fig. 17 is anenlarged detail elevation of the pivoted paper-hopper and thepaper-ejecting device. Fig. 18 is an enlarged detail perspective view ofthe cutting devices.

The frame of my machine comprises the side frames l and 2, the top frontrail 3, the bottom front rail at, the central rail 5, the rear rail 6,and the packing-boXes-supporting rail 7, the rails 3, i, 5, 6, and 7extending between the side frames 1 and 2, and being securely bolted tothem and properly braced -to form a stout supporting-frame.

1() is a large tape pulley or roller j onrnaled in the bars 1l of theframe-pieces 1 and 2 at the forward end of the machine.

l2 is another tape-roller journaled at 13 in the frame-pieces 1 and 2,and l-it are a series of endless carrying-tapes, which pass over therollers 10 and 12, around the guide-pulleys 15 and 16, and over thetightening-pulleys 17, which latter are journaled in the upper ends ofthe arms 18, pivoted at 19 to the brackets 20,and carryingtightening-weights 21 at their outer ends. In this manner thecarrying-tapes are always held taut independently of each other andallowed to travel freely around the rollers for carrying the paper intothe machine.

25 is a pulley-shaft journaled in the framepieces 1 and 2 parallel tothe pulley 12, and provided at intervals along its length withtape-pulleys,'around which the endless carrying-tapes 26 pass. Tapes 26also pass around the pulleys 28, supported in the forward ends of thearms 29,adj ustably secured to the crossbar 30, and over theguide-pulleys 27 and 32, which hold them up to their work. It will beobserved that the tapes 14 extend from the forward end of the machine tothe first-fold rollers, while the tapes 26 extend from the first-foldrollers to the end registering device.

are a series of rods having forward upturned ends 35iL and extendingfrom front to rear of the machine, and are shorter rods extending frompoints adjacent to the front to the iirst-fold rollers. The rods 35V andare secured to the cross-slats 37, and are supported directly above thecarrying-tapes 14: and 26, and serve to hold the paper on the tapes andprevent its buckling.

4t() is the end registering guide or blade, formed with lugs 41,whichhave screw-threaded openings through them for the reception of the adjListing-screws 42, which are properly j ournaled above thecarrying-tapes and have bevel-gear connection with the transverse shaft4:4, having an operating handwheel 45. By rotating the hand-wheel theposition of the end registering-blade 40 can be adjusted in a mannerwell understood.

is the first-fold knife,secured in the outer ends of the arms 51, whichare keyed to the rock-shaft 52. The knife 50 is notched or slotted atits working edge for the reception of the rods 35 when the knifedescends for creasing the paper and carrying it into the bite of thefirst-fold rollers 100 and 101, presently to be' described. Therockshaft 52 has keyed to one of its ends a crank-arm 58, having aroller journaled in its lower end which works on the face of the cam 59,keyed to the rotatable shaft 60.

54 is a crank-arm keyed to the shaft 52 inside of the arm 5S, and 53 isa rod secured to the outer end of the arm 5a and extending through anopening in lug 55 on the :front leg of frame-piece 2.

56 is a spiral spring surrounding the rod 53 and confined between thelug 55 and an adjustable collar 57, secured to the rod. The spring 56assists the gravitatin g action of folding-knife 50 under the control ofthe cam 56.

and 6G are bars extending across the machine and supporting the plates67, which extend parallel and form the slot or opening in which thefolding-knife operates to form the crease for the first fold.

68 are slats extending to the rear and front from the bars 65 and 66 toassist the tapes l-L and 26 in supporting the sheet oli' paper.

IOO

Irl',

' machine.

is an intermittently-rotatable shaft, carrying the three feed-rollers71, which are adapted to operate in conjunction with the tape-roller 10for feeding the paper into the The shaft 70 is journaled in the forwardends of the rock-arms 72 and 7 3,which are keyed to the rock-shaft 74.The arm 7 3 is extended beyond the rock-shaft 74 and provided with aroller 73a at its end, which operates on the face of cam 75, which iskeyed to the shaft 60 just inside of side frame 1.

are feed-regulating lingers secured to brackets 81, keyed to therock-shaft 82, which is provided with a spiral spring 84 for holding thefingers normally in lowered position, and a rock-arm 85, which isintermittently tripped by a finger or lug (not shown) carried by arm 73, by means of which the fingers are'intermittently raised. i

The mechanisms for operating the droprollers 71 and feed-regulatingfingers 80 are so timed that the rollers 71 (which are held normally outof contact with the paper) will drop upon the edge of the paper forfeeding the sheet to the machine the instant the fingers 80 are raised.

is a rotatable shaft j ournaled in the top bars of the frames 1 and 2and carrying a pair of rollers 91, whose surfaces are in the plane withthe tapes 14 and slats 68.

92 are retarding-rollers journaled in the ends of arms 93, which areadjustably keyed to the rock-shaft 94, which is provided with crank-arm95, having roller 96, which works on the face of cam 97, keyed to theshaft 60. The shaft 90 is constantly rotated by suitable gearing betweenit and the constantly-rotating tape-roller 12. The rollers 92 areadaptedto rest on the surface of the paper being fed into the machine for aninstant before the forward end of the paper strikes theregistering-blade 40, to slow up the movement of the paper and preventits striking the blade 40 too quickly and buckling the paper. As soon asthe end of the paper has registered against the blade 40 thefolding-blade descends to make the first fold by passing the paperthrough the folding-rollers and 101, which are j ournaled in suitablebearings in the top bars of the side frame 4 100 is thepositively-driven roller of the first-fold rollers, receiving its powerfrom the large gear-wheel 102, keyed to the shaft 60. The roller 101 hasspring-pressed journals for taking any unevenness in the paper.

105 and 106 are the second-fold rollers, supported in suitable journalsin the plane slightly below the first-fold rollers and parallel thereto.

107 are carrying-tapes extending between the roller 100 and the roller106 for conveying the paper into position for the second fold.

108 are a series of small wooden rollers j ournaled upon pivoted arms109 and resting normally `on the tapes 107 for holding the paper incontact therewith. VThearms 109 are mounted upon a rock-shaft 109, whichis normally in position to allow the rollers 108 to rotate in contactwith the paper above the tapes to steady the feed and insure the sheetsbeing pushed firmly against the end adjusting-gage. Keyed to therock-shaft 109ZL is a crank-arm 109, which is pivotally connected to anextension 155a of the sliding rod 155, said sliding rod having bearingin a lug 156a attached to the side frame and carrying a spiral spring156, which is confined between said lug and a collar on the rod andtends to hold the rollers 108 into operative position in contact withthe tape with a yielding pressure. The end of rod 155 is pivoted to acrank-arm 154 keyed to a rock-shaft 154 having an operating crank-arm154" which vis actuated by a cam on shaft G0, as shown in Fig. 16, forraising the rollers 108 during the intervals that the lateral register(controlled by the same cam and levers) operates.

Where a sheet of paper is to pass over a pair of rollers, and especiallywhere you cannot have carrying-tapes in front of these rollers, it isnecessary to use considerable energy on the rear of the sheet in orderto insure of its being properly adjusted to the front gage. As soon asthe sheet has touched the gage, however, these wheels have performedtheir work, and if allowed to rest on the paper while it is being drawnlaterally by the electric registering device, would have a tendency tocounteract the action of the friction-wheels of this registering device,therefore l have found it feasible for automatically lifting thesewooden friction-rollers as the registering drop-roller descends upon thesheet. That is, when the registering device is in operation, drawing thesheet laterally, the wooden wheels will be elevated sufficiently toprevent their causing unnecessary friction to the surface of the sheet;but just as soon as the lateral register has completed its work saidwooden wheels will be again dropped into operative position in readinessto operate upon the succeeding sheet.

110 is the edge registering-blade for the second fold, the first foldededge coming in contact with this blade for registering the paper. Theblade 110 is supported and adjusted in the same manner as theregisteringblade 40.

111 are supporting-rods supporting the inward portion of the paperbefore it receives its second fold. The inward ends of the rods 111 arecurved slightly to conform to the surface of the roller 105.

It is of the utmost importance that the folds for the class of workexecuted by this machine should be very accurately made in the centermargins of the sheets. l am enabled to accomplish this by my improvedadjustable electrical register. It vwill be understood that theiirst-foldgage will regulate the sheet perfectly parallel with thefirst-fold rollers, and that is sufficient until it has reached itsposition at the second fold, as it is unimportant what position thesheet occu- IOO IIO

pies laterally for the first fold. It must now be registered laterallyvery perfectly in order to bring it in position for being separated andfolded exactly in the center of the blank margins, the accuracy of bothbeing determined by the side registering device.

The lateral registering of the sheet is usually accomplished by asuitable device supported a few inches (from three to ten inches) fromthe front-edge registering-blade before the sheet receives its firstfold, and as the device has but a single thickness or one edge of thesheet to deal with, and its position is relatively the same as thelateral registering device on the feed which supplied the sheet to theprinting-press, the result is perfectly satisfactory. lVhen, however,the sheet is registered laterally after it has been once folded, as inmy present machine, (it being' desirable to laterally register the sheetas close as possible to the cutting devices and third-foldi n g rollersfor the sake of accuracy,) the problem is a very different one, for itis a well-known fact that it is very difficult to get sheets of papermade so accurately that the edges are perfectly square and will registeror be perfectly even when the sheet is once folded. As the edges of thesheet are, therefore, liable to project unevenly, it will be clear thata lateral adjustment would not be accurate if acted upon by the edgewhich projects farthest of the two uneven edges. T0 overcome thisdifficulty and provide a lateral register which will accurately registera sheet after it has been once folded, Iprovide an adjustableelectrically controlled register mounted at the righthand side of themachine adjacent to the end registering-blade, and having acircuit-making lever which is adjustable on its supporting-bar to enableit to be adjusted to such a point that it will be acted upon by theextreme corner or edge of the once-folded sheet. In this case it wouldmake little or no difference if the sheets were out of square, becausethe variation in the overlapping edges would not be perceptible at thepoint of fold.

Supported ad j aeent to the registerin g-bl ade 110, at the right-handedge of the machine, is my improved electrically-operating lateraladjustment just referred to, which will now be more particularlydescribed.

115 is a supporting guide-frame extending inwardly from the top rail ofmain side frame 1, and carrying the rotatable rod 116 and rotatablescrew-threaded adjusting-rod 117.

118 is a movable carriage provided with a depending screw-threzuied lug119, through which the rod 117 passes. 4

120 is a handewheel on the outer end of rod 117, by means of which therod 117 can be prises a continuously-operating roller, an

electrically-controlled drop-roller adapted to cooperate with thecontinuouslyoperating roller, an electromagnetic device, and anadjustable registering-arm adapted to be operated upon by the extremefolded edge or corner of the once-folded paper for closing an electriccircuit and lifting the drop-roller out of operative position. Means arealso provided for supporting the roller in inoperative position for theintervals between the registering of sheets.

125 is the continuously rotating roller, (shown in dotted lines in Fig.9,) said roller being mounted upon a short cross-shaft journaled insuitable bearings and receiving motion through suitable bevel-gearingwith the rotatable shaft 116, which is rotated by gearwheel 126.

127 is a short arm loosely journaled upon a cross-shaft 128, supportedin bearings 129 and having journaled in its forward bifur cated end thedrop-roller 130, which is supported directly above roller 125 andcoperates with it.

131 is a collar keyed to the short shaft 128, which supports arm 127 andformed with an integral lug 131, which is adapted to engage a similarlug or heel 1.27a projecting from the arrn 127, and by said engagementand the partial rotation of short shaft 128 hold the arm 127 and roller130 in inoperative position.

132 is an armature-lever loosely journaled upon the shaft 128 andcarrying at its free end the armature 133, and formed with the heel orlug 132, which is adapted to engage the end of an adjustable screwcarried by the arm 127 and lift the roller 130 when the electromagnet isenergized.

134 are the electromagnets.

135 is a square bar journaled at its ends between the brackets 13G andhaving keyed to it adjacent to one of the brackets an insulatedcontact-arm 137, which is adapted to contact with the point 138 and isconnected with the circuit-wire 139.

140 is the other circuit-wire, the battery not being shown.

1111 is the laterally registering blade or arm, which has a squareopening at its upper en d through which the pivoted square bar 135passes for supporting it. A screw 142 clamps the arm 141 adjustably tothe bar 135.

145 is a plate mounted on the carriage 118 and having its forward endconforming to the surface of the roller 105.

146 is a curved plate supported by bracket 147 above the plate 145. Theri ght-hand edge of the once-folded paper is adapted to pass over thesecond-fold rollers 105 and 1013, between the plates 115 and 146, andalso between rollers 127 and 130.

150 is a rock-shaft suitably journaled in the carriage 118 and havingbevel-gear 151, which meshes with a similar gear on. the short shaft128.

152 is a rod pivoted to the rock-arm 153 of the shaft 150 and extendingforwardly, where IOO IOS

TIO

it is pivoted to the upper end of the pivoted crank-arm 154, having arearwardly-extending pivoted rod 155, carrying a spiral spring 156 andextending through an opening in a suitable lug attached to the sideframe, said spring being confined between said lug and a collar on therod. The crank arm or lever 154is keyed to a short rock-shaft 154 andhas an arm 154:1 projecting from it, which is operated by a suitable camon shaft 60, shaped to allow spring 156 to hold the roller 130 elevatedfrom the surface of thevpaper after it has once been elevated by theelectric device until the succeeding sheet reaches the position in whichit must be registered, when the cam shifts the crank-arm 154 and rod 152against the action-of the spring and allows roller 130 to again dropinto engagement with the paper. 1t will be clear from the previousdescription that the action of the cam in releasing the roller 130 alsoraises the rollers 108.

160 is the second-folding knife, supported at the forward ends of thearms 161, which are keyed to the rock-shaft 162, which is intermittentlyoscillated in the usual way through rod 1626, which is connected to acrankarm on the shaft and a lever which is actuated by a cam on shaft60.

165 are conveying-tapes passing around the second-fold roller 106 andaround the adjustable pulleys 166 and guide-pulleys 167 for conveyingthe four severed sheets from the splitting device into position to bepassed through the four pairs of third-fold rollers.

The rollers 166 and 167 are journaled upon an adjustable slide 168,which works in grooves in the sides of the carriage-frame piece 193, andare confined in any adjusted position by bolts 170. By this means thetapes 165 can be kept at the stretch.

For cutting the twice-folded sheet into four signatures I employ threecutting devices', one stationary cutting device in the center of themachine and two adjustable devices on opposite sides of the central one.Each cutting device comprises a serrated cutting disk, which operates inconjunction with grooves in the lower roller 105 of the second-foldingpair. AA description of one of the devices will suffice for all, as theyare identical with the exception that the central device is notcutting-disk 180. The arm 178 ts against one of the vertical faces ofangle-bracket 177, and is formed with a longitudinal slot 178, in whichengages a headed bolt 17 8b, adjustably threaded and seated in thebracket 177. The bracket 177 is adjustably mounted upon the slotted bar181, so as to' be horizontally adjustable and held in any desiredadjusted position by means of the screw-bolt 182.

lt will be observed that the cutter 180 can be adjusted to coperate withany one of the grooves 17 6 by simply loosening the bolts 182 and 17 8band slipping the arm 178 (carrying cutter 180) down and shifting thebracket 17 7 horizontally to the proper position for the engagement ofthe cutter 180 with another groove. The bolt 182 is then tightened andthe arm 178 shifted vertically and the bolt 17 8b tightened.

18S is a bar bolted or otherwise secured to a yoke engaging the outerend of the sleeve 175 and having a downwardly-projecting lug 184 at itsouter end, in which engages an adjusting-screw 185. By means of thescrew 185 the sleeves 17 5 can be adjusted longitudinally upon thereduced ends of the roller 105, and, by first lowering the bolts 182,the cutters 180 can be shifted upon their journalspindles 179 at thesame time by reason of the engagement of the grooves 176 therewith.

'lhe arrangement of the cutters 180 in conjunction with the second-foldrollers isvery important, as the sheet is only allowed to travel a veryfew inches after being separated when it comes in contact with thelast-fold adj listing-guides, or bythe time the rear edge is severed theforward edge is almost in contact with the adjustable guides.

In adjusting the cutting devices just described to suit a piece of workto be performed the outside cutters are iirst adjusted into engagementwith the grooves nearest the desired lines of severance in the mannereX- plained, and then the final adjustments are,

accomplished through the screws 185. It is important to have the sleeves175 cover as much of the reduced ends of roller 105 as possible, so asnot to interfere with its folding action, and to accomplish this, and atthe same time afford the necessary scope of adjustment, the sleeves aremade long and provided with a number of grooves, into which the cutterscan be adjusted, part of the adj nstment being accomplished by themovable cutters and part by the sleeves.

There are four pairs of third-fold rollers, supported at right angles tothe iirst and second fold rollers and below the plane of the second-foldrollers. The tapes 165 convey the four severed pieces of thetwice-folded sheet longitudinally above the third-fold rollers until thefolded edges contact with the` adjustable guides 190, (two for each pairof third-fold rollers, arranged one on each side of thevertically-reciprocating knife,) at which moment the knives for passingthe paper through the third-fold rollers descend and form the finalcreases in the four signatures.

191 is the driver, and 192 the driven thirdfold rollers, suitably journaled in the adjustable boxes or carriage side frames 193 and IOO IIO

195 are calendering-rollers, also journaled in the boxes orvcz'trriage-frames 193 and 19-:t i

and :receiving rotation from suitable gearing between them and thethird-fold rollers. The purpose of these calender-rollers is to give thefolded signatures an extra pressure w-hile they are in transit to thepacking-boxes.

196 4are screwthreaded lugs depend-ing from the carriages 193 and 194,and 197 are screw-threaded shafts engaging the opening in said lugs andhaving bevel-gear connection 198 with the shaft 199, which extends atright angles to the shafts 197 and is provided at its outer end with anoperating hand-wheel 200. By means of the screw-threaded shafts 197 `andthe `operating mechanism the carriages193 191 and the rollers and theirmechanism carried thereby can be adjusted to any desired positionindependently of each other to suit the different-sized sheets to befolded.

The folding-knives for creasing and startl ing the paper through thethird-fold rollers have a reciprocating instead of an oscillatorymovement and are operated by essentially novel and `effective devices,which are operl ated from a single cam, are independently adjustable,and permit the free and independent adjustment of the carriages carryingthe third-fold rollers and calenders without necessitating theirdisengagement. This mechanism will now be described.

201 is the folding-knife, secured to the dovetailed reciprocating bar202, which is dovetailed into the carriage 193. Extending up from 'andformed integral with the bar 202 are the lugs 203, between which isjournaled a friction-roller 204.

205 'is a crank-arm keyed to the shaft 206 and having formed on its freeend a curved blade or palm 207, which engages Vunder the roller 204.

208 is a rod formed with the right-angled head .209, having a roller 210jo-urnaled in its bifurcated end, and with which the under face of thepalm 207 engages. The upper edge of the bar 202 is cut out suffiicientlyat y `completely-folded signatures before deliver- 202 to receive vtherolle-r 210.

211 is a slot formed in the head 209, through which passes a piu 212,which is secured in the Varms 203 and guides and allows a slightmovement of the rod 20S. The rod 20S extends down through an opening ina bracket 213 and has an 'adjustable collar 214 which connesa spiralspring 215 between it and the bracket 213. The tendency of the spring215 is to hold the rod 20S in elevated position same time folding oneinto the other. means wl'lich l employ for accomplishing' this and theroller 210 in engagement with the under side of the palm 207, andthereby insure constant engagement between the palm and the roller 204.The spring 215 also receives the downward thrust imparted by the cranks205 for reciprocating the knives and relieves the reciprocating framefrom shock. The engagement of the palms 207 with rollers 201 raises theframe and knife to elevated position with the crank 205.

It will be observed that the broad palms 207 will allow for theindependent adjustment of the carriages 193 and 194 and the crank-arms205 on shaft 206, and `as the carriages carrying third-folding devicesare adjusted toward and away from the center the outside palms should belonger than the inside ones. The crank-arms 205 are adjustably keyed tothe shaft 206 by means of the integral heels 205, which rest in openings206i formed in 'the boxes 206" and secured in adjusted position by meansof screws 216. The boxes 206b are `also adjustably keyed to the shaft206.

217 is a rock-arm keyed 'to `the right-hand end of the shaft 206, and21S is a rod piivotcd to the upper end of rock-arm 217 and extendingforwardly, where it is pivoted to the upper end of a pivotcdoperating-lever 219 operated upon (at its lower end) by a cam 220 keyedto the shaft 60. The cam is so `shaped and timed that the knives will bereciprocated at the proper intervals.

220fb are scales secured to bar 221 of the main frame, and 222 areindexes secured to the carriage-frames 193 and adapted to register withsaid scales for-indicating the positions of the carriages, in order thatthey can be readily `adjusted to proper relative position.

When it is desired to produce four signatures of sixteen pages each, thefolded `si gnatures are passed directly through the iirst, second, andthird fold rollers and calendering-rollers (the first and second foldsbeing parallel and the third folds at right ai'lgles thereto, and thesheet Vbeing laterally adjusted after the first fold and severed intofour signatures after the second Afold) and into `the hoppers and fou-rseparate packing-boxes, which will presently be described in a mannerwell understood. The two outer lsignatures drop directly into the upperpacking-boxes, while the central onesdrop iirst into the hoppers and arethrown by them into the lower packing-boxes. Vhen, however, it isdesiredto produce two signatures of thirty-two pages `eaclnl insert two of thefour completely-folded sixteen-page signatures into the other two ingthem to the packing devices. I consider this to be a veryimportantfeature ol' my machine and far superior to and more accurate than thecommon method of inserting by passing two partly-folded sheets, one overthe other, into position above thelast-fold rollers, through which bothsheets are passed, at the The ICO IIO

result are clearly illustrated in Figs. 12, 13, and 14 of the drawings.

Passing around the roller 192 of one pair of third-fold rollers, thetightening-rollers 226, and one of the calendering-rollers 195 of anadjacent set of folding devices are the carrying-tapes 225, which conveyone sixteen-page signature over into position to drop into another forforming a thirty-two-page signature. The rollers 226 are j ournaled uponcrankarms 227, which are keyed to ashort shaft 228 journaled to therails 5 and 6.

229 is a crank-arm, also keyed to the shaft 228 and having a weight 230attached to its outer end to properly regulate the tension of the tapes225 and hold them stretched. Vhen thel carriages 193 194 of the twoadjacent sets of folding devices, which are paired together by the tapes225, are adj usted closer together or farther apart to receive thesevered folded pieces the weight 230 will take vup the slack or allow agreater length of the tapes 225.

231 are a pair of rollers journaled in the pivoted arms 232, which arepivoted to arms 233, the rollers 231 being adapted to rest upon thesignatures carried by the tapes 225 over to the calendering-rollersto'be inserted into the previouslyfolded signature from the otherthird-fold rollers of the coupled sets of folding devices. The arms 233are secured to rod 238, which is supported in the carriage 193 194 byplates 2382.

235 are arms pivoted upon the rod 236, which is supported by brackets237 from the rod 238. J ournaled in the forward ends of the arms 235 isa friction-roller 239, formed with annular grooves 240 and adapted torest on the tapes 225 just above one of the calendering-rollers 195, andhaving a gear 239a which gears with the cog geared to one of thecalendering-rollers. The arms 235 have upwardly-extending ears 241, inwhich is journaled a small shaft 242, carrying a series of guide-fingers243, which are curved at their lower ends to turn or guide the edge ofthe signature to be inserted down into thev bite of thecalendering-rollers and also to guide the receiving-signature from thethird-fold rollers to the calendering-rollers, thefriction-roller 239serving to drive the signatures through the calender-rollers.

The process of inserting to form signatures of thirty-two pages is asfollows: The full sheets of four sixteen-page signaturesare fed into thefolder in the usual way vand receive the iirst, second, and third foldsjust the same as they Ado when they are to be delivered singly. The twosignatures nearest the center of the machine, or directly over thehoppers, will, of course, reach their positions in the hoppers a littlein advance of the signatures from the two outside third-fold rollers.

sume the form of the hoppers. Almost instantly the signatures from thesides will be dropped into the hoppers and inside of the precedingsignatures of sixteen pages, and

thus by putting one sixteen-page signature into another producesignatures of thirty-two pages. As soon as one sixteen-page signature isdropped into the other the hoppers will be tilted forward, d epositingthe thirty-two-page signatures into the packing-box, it being understoodthat the movement of the hopper into its inclined position will causethe sheets to slide from them into the boX.

I am aware that a machine has been constructed to produce twothirty-two-page signatures by cutting the main sheet into two parts andfolding each half four times;y but in folding the paper four times thereis a very objectionable draw in the sheets, caused by one thicknessbeing un'severed, and l' therefore consider my arrangement for formingthirty-two-page signatures to be far better, as there are only threefolds made.

The tapes 225 are thrown olf of the tightening-pulleys 226, when it isnot desired to' insert one signature in another, and moved to one side,where a portion of each roll may be turned away to allow room for thetapes to be tied back out of the way. The guidefingers may be left inposition at all times, but if desired they may be easily removed withtheA friction-rollers by unbolting the plates 238, If desired, means forlifting the rollers out of operative position may be provided, and alsosprings may be employed to hold the friction-roller into operativecontact and yet allow it to regulate itself to the thickness of thefolded signature passing through it. Pivoted to the frame-piece 250,directly beneath the calendering-rollers 195, are hollow arms 251,provided with screws 252, adapted to clamp the extensible rods 253 andsecure them to the arms or holders 251. The eXtensible guide-rods 253assist in guiding the folded signatures into the pivoted hoppers orpacking-boxes, and may be employed to engage the upper corners of thesignatures to assist in supporting them as fast as they are put in placeby the packers.

260 and 261 are parallel guide-frames supported from the rail 7 aboveand below.v

263, 264, 265,and 266 are the packing-boxes, formed with groovedguide-flanges 267 ,which engage the parallel guides 260 and lsupport thepacking-boxes and allow them to be adjusted longitudinally-that is,transversely on the machine. Additional guides are also provided forproperly supporting the packingboxes.'

268 are pivoted spring flaps or fingers, (two for each packing-box,)whichoperate in suitable openings in the sides of the packingboxes forallowing the folded vsignatures to pass in one direction under theaction of the reciprocating packer and prevent them from moving back. pY

269 are the movable ends of the packing- IOO IIO

